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SteamRanger Heritage Railway facts for kids

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SteamRanger
SteamRanger logo.png
Rx 224 leaving Port Elliot.jpeg
Rx 224 leaving Port Elliot
in January 2022
Established 1986
Location Mount Barker South Australia
Type Heritage Railway

The SteamRanger Heritage Railway is an 82 kilometres (51 miles) long 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge tourist railway, formerly the Victor Harbor railway line of the South Australian Railways (SAR). It is operated by the not-for-profit South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society. As the last operating non-suburban line of the former broad-gauge network, on which Australia's first public railway was opened, the line and its associated rail assets have high historical significance.

History

In the 1970s, the South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society established SteamRanger as a not-for-profit railway preservation offshoot to operate its train tours from Adelaide, mainly on rural lines throughout the state's broad-gauge networks. SteamRanger opened their first purpose-built depot at Dry Creek railway station, 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) north of Adelaide in 1980. From the mid-1980s, SteamRanger gradually took over the operation and maintenance of the Victor Harbor railway line in the Adelaide Hills.

When plans were announced for the Adelaide to Melbourne line to be converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge, SteamRanger had to choose between staying at Dry Creek and losing its investment in the Victor Harbor line, or move and become isolated from Adelaide's suburban railway lines.Since the first choice would break the society's financial viability, in a huge project all of SteamRanger's locomotives and rolling stock were moved. A new depot was built at Mount Barker railway station, at the northern end of the broad-gauge line to Victor Harbor. As part of the move, the District Council of Mount Barker renovated the station building, derelict at the time, to become SteamRanger's headquarters. Conversion of the interstate line was completed in 1995 as part of the One Nation infrastructure upgrade program. Following closure of South Australia's remaining broad-gauge tracks, the line has become the last operating memory of locomotive-hauled trains on the broad gauge.

Services

As of January 2023, scheduled SteamRanger trips were as follows.

Name Between (round trips) Distance and time (round trips) Days Steam or diesel? Notes
Cockle Train
– off peak
Goolwa and Victor Harbor 21 km (13 mi).
About 1 hour, 30 minutes.
Most Wednesdays and weekends Heritage diesel locomotives or railcars* Buy tickets on day of travel at SteamRanger stations (does not have reserved seats)
Cockle Train
– during school holidays
As above As above Every day during school holidays Normally steam locomotives; diesel when a total fire ban for the Mount Lofty Ranges is in force* As above
Southern Encounter Mount Barker to Victor Harbor 164 km (102 mi).
About 8 hours 45 minutes including 2 hours 40 minutes lunch and several 10-minute stops.
First, third and fifth Sundays May to November Steam locomotives Bookings essential**
Hills Encounter Victor Harbor to Mount Barker 164 km (102 mi).
About 8 hours including 2 hours 20 minutes lunch.
As on website Normally steam locomotives; diesel when a total fire ban for the Mount Lofty Ranges is in force* Passengers can optionally leave train at Strathalbyn for lunch and shopping then join return trip. Bookings essential.
StrathLink Victor Harbor (or board at Goolwa) to Strathalbyn 100 km (62 mi).
About 5 hours 20 minutes including 2 hours lunch.
Several days during the school holidays On the Cockle Train Victor Harbor to Goolwa, then via heritage railcar to Strathalbyn Booking advisable since some trains fill quickly
Bugle Ranger Mount Barker to Philcox Hill and Bugle Ranges station 18 km (11 mi).
About 45 minutes.
Fourth Sunday June to November Red Hen railcar Buy tickets on day of travel at SteamRanger's Mount Barker station
* When the forecast for Victor Harbor is 35 degrees Celsius or above, the Cockle Train does not operate.
** First-class tickets include compartment in an art deco carriage with morning tea, lunch and a paddle steamer voyage.
South Australian Railways 520 class loco at the SteamRanger Museum
Mainline diesel-electric locomotive 958 and steam locomotive 520 at SteamRanger's Mount Barker workshop in 2006

Fleet

SteamRanger's fleet as of December 2023 was as follows.

Item Built Status
Steam locomotives
Rx class no. 207, Dean Harvey 1913 Operational, Goolwa
Rx class no. 224 1915 Operational, Goolwa
F class no. 251 1922 Stored awaiting overhaul, Mt Barker
620 class no. 621, Duke of Edinburgh 1936 Undergoing maintenance, Mt Barker
520 class no. 520, Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey 1943 Under restoration, Mt Barker
Diesel-electric locomotives
350 class no. 350 1949 Operational, Mt Barker (limited shunting use only)
500 class no. 507 1965 Operational, Goolwa
700 class no. 704 1972 Stored awaiting overhaul, Mt Barker
830 class no. 844 1962 Operational, Goolwa
830 class no. 845 1963 Under restoration, Mt Barker
930 class no. 958 1965 Operational, Mt Barker
930 class no. 963 1967 Stored, Mt Barker
Diesel railcars
300 and 400 class Red Hen railcars nos 334, 412 and 820 class trailer car 824 1958, 1960, 1912 Operational, Goolwa
400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 428 1968 Accident damaged, undergoing repair, Mt Barker
400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 424 and 860 class trailer car no. 875 1968, 1945 Operational, Goolwa
300 and 400 class "Red Hen" railcars nos 364 and 405 1968, 1959 Stored, Mt Barker
Brill Model 75 railcar no. 43 1928 Under restoration, Goolwa
Brill Model 75 railcar no. 60 1928 Stored, Goolwa
2000 class "Jumbo" railcars nos 2010 and 2109 1980 Stored, Goolwa
Passenger cars
  • Wooden "Centenary" cars nos 52, 54, 56, 60, 61, 62 and 66
  • Wooden suburban cars nos 70, 71 and 73
  • Wooden suburban baggage cars nos 81, 82 and 83
  • Wooden 4400 class brakevan no. 4420
  • Steel 500 class first class car no. 503
  • Steel 600 class second class car no. 602
  • Steel 700 class second class cars nos 701, 704, 706 and 710
  • Former V&SAR joint stock sleeper car Finniss
  • Steel CGP class brakevan no. CGP2

See also

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SteamRanger Heritage Railway Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.